Despite what some of the respondents to a recent survey may think, the "A" in "A-Day" does not refer to "Armageddon". Thursday April 6th next year will not ? hopefully at least ? be the end of the world, but rather the day that a new regime governing pension schemes comes into force.

Sipps or self-invested personal pensions provide people with the chance to take control of their own long-term investments, rather than relying on the expertise of a fund manager. A-Day will see changes to the current regulations that would enable people to use their funds for a much wider range of investments, including property.

The property market's boom appeared to have come to an end earlier this year but there are now signs that house prices are beginning to pick up again. Mortgage activity is beginning to stir and last month's interest rate cut will help provide a gentle push. But almost regardless of the current market conditions longer-term surveys suggest that property makes a sound investment with prices, on average, doubling every ten years.

Low interest rates and the wide availability of buy-to-let mortgages have seen more and more people looking at bricks and mortar as a means of providing for their retirement. Whether building up a healthy chunk of equity or using the rental yield to provide an income in retirement, residential property is popular investment.

With the changes to Sipps, analysts are expecting a good number of people who manage their own investment funds to opt for property as a vehicle for their money. Pensions obviously have certain benefits over regular investments meaning that people who had previously put all their money in a pension scheme will for the first time have the chance to broaden their portfolios.

This is all very exciting for Sipps holders, but there are likely to be some losers. People in rural areas are already facing stiff competition in the housing market from wealthier city types looking for a second home in the country. House prices have been surging in rural areas as a result leaving average earnings standing.

Some rural communities fear that with more and more properties being bought as second homes, not only will locals be forced to rent or move away, but towns and villages will spend much of the year deserted.

Changes to Sipps are likely to see a rise in the purchase of second homes, meaning that rural areas and other parts of the country where demand is already very high are likely to see a surge in prices.

Sipps could well provide the property market with the shot in the arm that, if by April mortgage activity has not picked up, it will desperately need. But if does get house prices moving again some people will be left behind. They can only hope that the government's affordable housing scheme keeps pace with its financial services reforms.